I have been growing tomatoes since I was a wee little boy. Dad did it different than my gramps. My uncle does it different than them both. As a matter of fact everyone in my family has "an opinion" on how to best grow these little balls of tastiness. I have taken a little from everyone and it has worked.

I started out like dad: No stakes, let them run wild and mulch underneath. Gramps raised tobacco and always had plenty of tobacco sticks to stake them with. My uncle was the fancy man and would buy cages from the hardware store.

For about 10-years I set cattle panels and that worked great. I got tired of setting and taking down the panels every year so I started doing the Florida weave. It has served the purpose until I put rabbit "goodness" on the gardens. Now my tomatoes get so big and heavy the Florida weave just don't cut it.

That isn't entirely true. I could put enough t-posts in to make it more stable...I am rambling aren't I...?

To make a long question longer...In a traditional plowed garden...how does everyone else stabilize your tomatoes?